Senior Payroll Officer

Senior Payroll Officer

The closing date is 21 June 2026

Are you an experienced payroll professional looking for a senior role within a dynamic NHS environment? We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Payroll Officer to join our team and play a key part in delivering a high-quality payroll service to our partner organisations.

What you'll do:

• Provide an accurate and timely payroll service on behalf of our partner organisations.
• Ensure all payroll processes comply with statutory requirements and NHS national terms and conditions of service.
• Deputise for the Payroll Operations Service Manager, taking responsibility for managing and organising the day to day work of the Payroll Operations team.
• Occasionally deputise for the Customer Service Manager.
• Perform at a senior level across all aspects of payroll, demonstrating expertise and leadership.

Main duties of the job:

• Review and analyse incoming information to ensure accuracy and completeness, liaising with client organisations and managers to resolve queries.
• Deputise in planning, organising and allocating work within the Payroll Operations and Customer Service team to ensure timely and accurate payment of salaries, adhering to statutory and BACS deadlines, inline with Terms and Conditions.
• Process weekly and monthly payrolls in line with best practice; maintain real time knowledge of payroll procedures, approve and amend contractual changes via ESR, calculate and process manual payments, and implement recovery actions where required.
• Coordinate workload and staff absences to maintain service delivery.
• Review payroll transactions and outcomes, identifying and correcting errors, including gross to net adjustments and late changes with minimal risk.
• Investigate and resolve complex payroll queries, calculate complex payments, and check the accuracy of Payroll Officers' work.
• Provide training and specialist expert advice to colleagues and managers, ensuring compliance with Agenda for Change and policies.
• Maintain high standards of customer care, handling sensitive queries with empathy. Record all enquiries for audit and trend analysis.
• Maintain and develop comprehensive knowledge of statutory regulations, NHS Terms and ESR systems.
• Identify process improvements, ensure confidentiality of records, and provide cover across teams as required.

What we're looking for:

• Strong knowledge of payroll legislation and NHS terms and conditions.
• Proven experience in payroll operations, ideally within a large or complex organisation.
• Excellent organisational and leadership skills.
• Ability to work accurately under pressure and meet strict deadlines.
• Be part of a supportive team committed to excellence.
• Opportunities for professional development and career progression.
• Contribute to a service that makes a real difference across the NHS.

Right to Work in the UK

Applicants should be aware that for any individual who requires a visa to work in the UK, the Trust provides sponsorship for registered healthcare practitioner roles only. This is an essential requirement of the role, and the Trust is unable to offer you a role if you are unable to meet Trust requirements for sponsorship and Home Office requirements for a visa. Prior to your appointment you will be asked to provide confirmation of your right to work and reside in the UK. During your continued employment with the Trust, you have a personal responsibility to notify your manager as soon as possible should there be any changes to your right to work status. If the role is not eligible for sponsorship under the Trust's eligibility criteria, the Trust is unable to extend your employment beyond the expiration of your current visa. It is your responsibility to promptly inform your Line Manager of any changes in your right to work status and provide necessary documentation for verification. Failure to obtain or renew your visa in a timely manner is a breach of employment conditions and will result in termination of your employment.

Person Specification Qualifications

• GCSE including Mathematics and English in Grade C or above or equivalent qualifications.
• CIPP Payroll Technician Certificate or equivalent experience, ECDL/ITQ or equivalent.

Knowledge

• Strong working knowledge of all statutory regulations relating to pay, pensions, tax and NI.
• Strong working knowledge of NHS terms and conditions of employment.
• Strong knowledge of basic payroll law.
• Sound knowledge of ESR.
• In depth understanding of client organisations.
• Medical and Dental/Agenda for Change regulations.

Experience

• Significant experience working in a payroll environment.
• Prior experience of using ESR or another Oracle based HR & Payroll system.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer name

Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust

Full time, Flexible working, Compressed hours